Gentle
by shining1980
Summary: It's movie night, and Jed and Octavius have to make a compromise. Rated T just to be safe!


It had become sort of a routine; Jedediah and Octavius would use the car that Larry had provided for them to go for rides around the museum every other night.

Both men treasured these times they had together. Some nights they would pull pranks on Larry or other members of the museum. Sometimes they would park the car in front of Nicky's laptop and watch kitten videos online, or movies on Netflix. It was like being at a drive-in movie theater.

Those nights were their favorites.

They would take turns picking movies. Naturally, Jed tended to pick old westerns, or action movies. Octavius, not to Jedediah's surprise, had a penchant for anything with drama or romance.

Normally, the nights would go on without a hitch. Tonight, however, both men were arguing over whose turn it was to pick the movie.

"You're a crafty one Octy, but ain't no way in hell I'm letting you trick me!"

"Trick you? Oh dear Jedediah, it seems you have forgotten. Last time we watched... oh, what was it? Avengers? Age of Voltron?"

"It's _Ultron_ , dummy!"

"That's what I said."

Jedediah rolls his eyes and runs a hand through his hair.

"Okay, okay. The way I see it, we're going to have to find a compromise."

"I suppose... if you will not admit that you are wrong, a compromise will do."

"Got any ideas then, amigo?"

"Hm. Well. Something with drama... but also with cowboys. I... I do have an idea. B-but I don't know if you will like it."

"Oh, Brokeback Mountain? Shoot, Octy, I've heard of this before!" Jed said excitedly as he got comfortable in the drivers seat of the car."

"You... do _know_ what it's about, do you not?" Octavius says, glancing nervously at his friend.

"Yeah, 'course I do! Just a couple of cowboy buddies, right?"

"Well... not exactly. They, ah- you noticed that the movie is in the romance category, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So, well, the cowboys in the movie- the two main ones, it seems- are... homosexuals. And f-from what I have gathered from your culture, homosexuality is greatly looked down upon..." Octavius trailed off, blushing and rubbing at the back of his neck. He avoided Jedediah's eyes.

"...so?"

Octavius blinked.

"Octy," Jedediah sighed, "just because some of my people think that sorta thing is wrong, it... it don't mean that I think that."

Octavius breathed out in relief. He fought back a grin and finally, timidly, met the other man's eyes.

"So we'll watch it, then?"

"Yeah, why not?" He said, flashing a smile at Octavius. "It's got some of what you like, some of what I like. Plus, look at how many stars it's got! I mean, it must be pretty darn good."

Octavius finally let himself grin, and with a warm feeling in his chest, he started the movie.

Both men blushed furiously during the sex scene in the beginning. Neither of them said a word. It was just so unexpected! It started off as something cute, with the cowboys just laying next to one another, but quickly became... risque. To say the least.

Still, both men continued to watch it; enamored by the story and the subtly blooming romance.

Octavius caught Jed smiling during the lighter parts of the movie. In fact, he could have sworn he heard an "awww" during one part of the movie, when Jack playfully lassoed in Ennis to get Ennis to come along with him.

Maybe it was his imagination.

They arrive at the part of the movie where Jack is standing beside his pickup, outside Ennis's house, and Ennis races outside to see him.

Jedediah briefly glanced away from the screen to look at Octavius, who was biting his lip as he watched the men onscreen embrace and kiss each other.

He had a look in his eyes. Something like longing, or loneliness, or maybe both. Jedediah's heart broke at the sight. He could relate.

He turned his attention back to the movie, but could not resist the urge to hold out a hand to Octavius.

The other man glanced from Jedediah, to Jedediah's hand, and back to Jedediah; who, all the while, kept staring at the screen. He didn't want to put any sort of pressure on Octavius.

Only a few seconds passed before the Roman took Jedediah's hand in his own, intertwining their fingers.

Jedediah smiled and squeezed Octavius's hand. Octavius did the same. The warm feeling in his chest had turned into a fluttering feeling in his stomach.

The rest of the movie ranged from melancholy, to sad, to devastating. Both men were glad that they were holding each other's hand.

No tears were shed during the movie, but as soon as it was over, Jedediah had put his knees up to his chest and was letting out the quietest of sobs.

Octavius panicked. Unsure of what to do, he turned off the movie and shifted in his seat, moving slightly closer to Jedediah.

"Oh no. Dear, dear, Jedediah. I am so sorry that movie upset you. Please do not cry. What can I do?"

Jedediah sniffled and wiped the tears off his face. He gestured for Octavius to come sit closer to him. Octavius did so and immediately wrapped his arms around the other man, holding him as he continued to cry.

Octavius took Jedediah's hand in his own once again and pressed a gentle kiss to his knuckles. He resumed holding him and mumbled into Jedediah's hair.

"Do not cry, love. It's all okay."

Jedediah was flooded with emotion, so when Octavius spoke, he was sure he had misheard.

"Did... did you call me 'love'"?

"I did."

Jedediah's heart swelled in his chest, and he moved slightly so that he was face to face with the Roman.

Octavius looked into Jedediah's tear-filled eyes. He brought a hand up to the other man's golden hair and stroked through it softly.

Jed closed his eyes, causing more tears to run down his face, and with a strange surge of courage, Octavius wiped away the tears and pressed the softest of kisses to Jedediah's lips.

Jedediah was in too much shock to reciprocate, but as soon as Octavius pulled away, Jedediah's hand was on the back of his neck, pulling him in close again. He placed one tentative kiss on the corner of the Roman's mouth and another, longer kiss, on his lips.

Octavius felt intoxicated. How long had Jedediah wanted this? Could it be as long as Octavius had? He kissed the other man back with fervor, tilting his chin up with one hand to deepen the kiss.

Jedediah looked completely blissed out in the drivers seat of the car. He looked...

"Beautiful."

"W-what?"

"You look beautiful, darling." Octavius replied, voice just above a whisper.

Jedediah blushed and looked away, biting his lip. He had been called a lot of things in his time, but never beautiful.

Octavius made him feel... treasured. Wanted. Real.

"Y-you're really somethin' boy. You know that? Don't have words for it... you... you're beautiful too. I reckon we should have done this a long time ago."

"I agree." Octavius said with a smirk.

Suddenly, the pair was interrupted by a voice they quickly identified as Larry's.

"Jed? Octavius? I noticed the laptop was off, are you guys oka-" Larry stopped speaking when he peered into the small vehicle and saw that Jed and Octavius were preoccupied. He looked away, blushing and rubbing at his arm. "Oh... uh, sorry guys. I'll give you two some privacy."

Jedediah and Octavius stared at each other silently until they heard Larry leave. They then both proceeded to burst into giggles.

"I guess we shoulda been more careful, huh, Octy?"

"I suppose so." Octavius replied, smiling. He brushed a strand of hair out of Jedediah's eyes and placed a kiss on his forehead. "Would you like to join me back to my quarters?"

Jedediah grinned.

"You just read my mind."


End file.
